There is so much turmoil going on in the world right now and I hope my blog is a happy diversion in the middle of all of that chaos. I try to keep this page happy and positive. My friends and I have a lot of good inspiration in home decor for you today, so please visit all of them!
The post Style Showcase 32 appeared first on Southern Hospitality.
Posted: 6/1/2020 | June 1st, 2020
Let’s talk about cheap flights. We all know airlines are out to screw us over — and no one wants to be the person who gets stuck paying the highest fare. That’s why we spend hours upon hours in front of the computer, researching articles on airfare, and trying to game the system like we’re attempting to outsmart a used car salesman.
I’ve written about finding a cheap flight before — and even my process for booking a flight — but today I want to talk about some persistent and inaccurate myths about booking a flight that have stuck around through simple inertia and lazy journalism.
There’s a lot of articles out there that will list “secret hacks” that will save you thousands. “If you book a flight on a Tuesday during a blood moon while standing on one leg, you’ll get the cheapest flight possible!” Ok, that’s an exaggeration but I read a lot of articles that are straight-up inaccurate and outdated that, today, I want to explain which “rules” are straight-up lies so you don’t follow them, save hours of time, and still end up with a cheap flight!
This is the worst myth of them all. It makes sense. We all know that every company in the world uses cookies to track our online habits. So why wouldn’t airlines track us? There’s a belief that airlines are watching our browsing habits and then raising ticket prices when they see us looking at the same route(s) over and over again.
Lots of websites will tell you to use a browser’s “incognito mode” to avoid this. Turn them off, stop being tracked, and trick the system, right?
Except this is not true at all.
There’s no evidence that airlines behave that way and numerous studies by booking companies have shown there is no variance in pricing when you use incognito mode.
And, typically, when you abandon your cart, businesses discount prices to get you to complete your purchase not raise them higher.
According to Scott of Scott’s Cheap Flights, one of the most popular bargain-flight websites,
“There’s no evidence that airlines are showing you a different price based on your cookies. We are mistaking airfare volatility for a Truman Show–esque interpretation that the airlines are out to raise fares on us. Airfare is constantly changing, often by the hour if not by the minute these days. When a flight you’re looking at goes up in price, there’s a temptation to think that it’s because of your cookies, but Occam’s razor is that the price went up because airfare is constantly changing.”
They searched the same Denver to London flight 100 times in a row, and on the first search and the hundredth search, the price stayed exactly the same.
Another study by CheapAir found the same thing.
The average economy fare changes 61 times each day. Airlines use sophisticated software to change prices based on demand. Additionally, they put their inventory not just on their own website but also on hundreds of third-party websites so millions of people are looking at the same flights at any given moment. The system is constantly updating itself based on ticket sales and demand.
After all, there are only so many seats on a plane. You just can’t add more!
That’s why prices change.
Searching in incognito mode is simply not going to help you find a cheaper flight.
Back in the day, most airlines used to drop flight deals on Tuesdays and that would lead to other airlines following suit. Thus the old adage to book on Tuesdays.
But Hopper, a popular cheap-flight app, analyzed the data and found that only 1.6% of flights were cheaper on a Tuesday.
These days, as I mentioned above, airlines use dynamic pricing and artificial intelligence to constantly change their pricing. The algorithms consider a variety of factors: historical and current demand, seasons, weather, particular events, etc.
According to Scott,
“Some websites still claim there is a single predictable time each week when fares are cheapest. When airfare was first sold online, airlines and online travel agencies would often load their fares just once a week, say, Tuesday at 2pm. There were a limited number of the cheapest fares available, and so if you were one of the first people to book right after the new fares were loaded, you really could get a great deal. Nowadays airfare is changing by the hour if not by the minute, driven less by humans plugging in fares each week and more by complex computer algorithms.”
So there’s no “best day to book.” Waiting for a Tuesday likely won’t save you any money.
Book your flight on whatever day you want.
Airfares don’t actually change that dramatically. Until about 21 days before a flight, they are pretty steady. I remember talking to the Google Flights team once and they found there’s only typically a $50 difference between the highest and lowest price point.
That doesn’t mean it couldn’t swing more radically. As I said, airlines change prices based on a lot of factors. Sometimes that $50 swing could be $100 or $200 — but, barring an event that drives up demand, airfares tend to be in a narrow range up to 21 days before a flight.
After that, thanks to antiquated rules, the system thinks that a “last-minute” flight — three weeks away or less — must mean a business traveler and so fares rise. (So never book less than 21 days before leaving!)
Generally speaking, the best time to book a flight is about 2-3 months ahead. Why?
Most people book about 2-3 months before they go away. If you’re a family going on vacation, you don’t just do it on a whim. You take time off work and plan months in advance. So airlines know that and about 2-3 months before a trip is generally when prices reach equilibrium between supply and demand.
Websites that predict prices are just taking an educated guess based on historical pricing. Don’t put too much stock in these predictions. The past is not prologue and a spike in demand or a concert or other event can change the price of a ticket outside its historical range.
I like the price meter on Google Flights because it lets me know the general historic price range of this fare. But any website that says “wait to book because prices are going to go down” is full of shit.
Airfare is incredibly volatile. There are a limited number of seats on planes and dozens of variables — from overall economic conditions to the price of oil to competition from new budget airlines to the difficulty of predicting travel interest for a specific flight 11 months from now. No one knows what the future holds. The recent pandemic is proof that modeling the future doesn’t work.
These websites have no idea what future airfare will be and are just guessing.
As Scott echoes:
“It’s important to distinguish between when is cheapest to travel and when is cheapest to book. We know a lot about when it’s typically cheapest to travel: January through March and September through November. That’s not to say there are never cheap flights in June. Think of it like an NBA game: just because one team is favored doesn’t mean there’s never an upset. This is all to say that anyone who claims to have cracked the code and be able to predict with certainty whether a flight six months from now will go up or down in price is doing you a disservice.”
Why do you see prices vary from website to website? Third-party websites often buy tickets in bulk and the prices depend a lot on what booking class they’ve purchased (usually they buy the cheapest and most restive fares which is why those flights are always unchangeable). Plus, again, thousands of people could be booking at once and so as the cheaper seats go, the prices go up!
That’s why, while I love Skyscanner and Momondo, I check lots of other websites before I actually book.
But, while I love them, remember: there is no single best website out there for flights.
Prices vary among all these platforms. That’s why you have to search multiple websites and meta-search engines.
There’s no single best booking website, only the best one at the time of booking.
***
Any article that claims to show you the “secret” to cheap airfare is probably too good to be true — because if it worked so well, airlines would have put an end to it a long time ago. You can’t outsmart the airlines. You can only bend the system to your advantage.
There’s simply no magic bullet to finding cheap airfare.
As much as we all want there to be one.
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines, because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com, as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels. I use them all the time.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all those I use — and they’ll save you time and money too!
The post 5 Myths About Booking a Flight that You Need to Ignore appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.
I’m back today with a fun tour of Lake Martin, AL from the vantage point of a boat ride. We had such a nice weekend getaway with Mark’s sister and brother-in-law as well as his parents. The time away definitely made me forget about the pandemic for a few days and the weather was perfect. Lake Martin is a 44,000-acre reservoir with over 750 miles of wooded shoreline. It’s a big lake that’s very spread out and a gorgeous hidden gem in AL. It’s very popular with AL natives for 2nd homes as well as Georgia people.
Come along for a boat tour of homes on Lake Martin. I visited Lake Martin for the first time when I was living in Birmingham and it’s been at least 11 or 12 years since I’ve been there. It’s still the pretties lake I’ve ever seen. Our GA lakes don’t even come close to the beauty of Lake Martin in my opinion.
The post Weekend at Lake Martin, AL appeared first on Southern Hospitality.
As 2020 rolls on, Covid-19 means we are without equestrian sport to entertain us. So join us as we take a look back at some of the funny, touching and intriguing things that event riders told our reporters during May 2019…
“She announced I’d sold her mum a horse and she was happy with the way it was going. I asked if her mum was ready to buy a new one yet!” – Oliver Townend on getting more than he bargained for as he thanked the Pony Clubber manning the dressage arena exit at Kentucky
“If he even touches a fence he does so very, very lightly and spends the next six apologising” – Oliver Townend on Kentucky winner Cooley Master Class’s careful jumping style
“He was cross-tied for two or three months for his own welfare” – Tim Price on Xavier Fair’s recovery after being kicked by a pony he had known his whole life in the field. The horse was third at Kentucky
“He got a bit distracted and drifted right at the first triple brush arrowhead, so I whacked the flag with my knee and it got stuck” – Ariel Grald on jumping the second two elements of a combination at Kentucky with a flag caught between her knee and the saddle
“The only time she wears a dressage saddle is at a competition – she knows how to do the movements and flatwork in the school makes her uncomfortable and cross. She is much happier like this” – Vittoria Panizzon on Withington advanced winner Borough Pennyz
“FAB-U-LOUS” – written on Gemma Tattersall and Quicklook V’s dressage sheet after they scored 15.5 in the open intermediate at Withington
“He’s not what you expect for a sports cob – he can be a bit of a neurotic bulldozer – but once you’re on him he’s a total pro” – Laura Greenhalgh on Stanhopes Travelling Man, winner of the BE90 Mitsubishi Motors Cup
“I don’t sleep much and I don’t sit down” – Jo Hales, second in the BE100 Mitsubishi Motors Cup, on how she fits in working two jobs, having two children and eventing three horses
“She’s always been an amazing jumper but very opinionated and mareish. She swears and bites you regularly, but we’ve learnt to manage her” – Katie Magee on her Chatsworth advanced winner Dollarney
Article continues below…
You might also be interested in:
Credit: Peter Nixon
As we can’t be at Badminton this week, we remind you of the thrilling, funny and touching moments from the
Credit: TI Media
If you want to keep up with the latest from the equestrian world without leaving home, grab a H&H subscription
With the Event Rider Masters first leg of 2019, plus two other CCI4*-S sections, the Dodson & Horrell Chatsworth Horse
“He knows he’s really talented and tells everyone else about it” – Susie Berry on Rockingham intermediate winner John The Bull
“I said to the team, ‘We should have a good look because we won’t be invited any more!’” – chef d’equipe Hans Melzer on Germany’s fifth consecutive Nations Cup victory at Houghton
We are continuing to produce Horse & Hound as a weekly magazine during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as to keep our website at horseandhound.co.uk up to date with breaking news, features and more. Click here for info about magazine subscriptions and access to our premium H&H Plus content online.
Posted: 5/30/2020 | May 30th, 2020
Taipei, the capital of Taiwan and its most populous city, is the epicenter of tourism for the country (though most people just come for a short layover as it’s a major air hub for Asia).
And while there is plenty to do elsewhere in Taiwan, even if you don’t leave Taipei, you can still find lots of things to see and do in the area to fill close to a week!
I love Taipei. I lived here in 2010 while I taught English and built this website. It was a wonderful experience that helped me grow as a person. A decade later, I finally made it back to the city I loved so much and it was remarkable to see that so much of what I loved was still there: the endless gigantic food markets serving some of the best food in the world, a wild nightlife, spacious parks, interesting and quirky museums, and nearby mountains that call to you with easy and accessible hikes.
Taipei (like Taiwan as a whole) is a hugely underrated destination and I can’t urge you enough to visit. It combines culture, nature, wonderful people, and affordability. I don’t understand why more people don’t visit but make their loss, your gain!
To help you plan your trip, here are my top 13 things to do while in Taipei:
One of the first things I do when I arrive in a new destination is to take a free walking tour. They show you the lay of the land and help you see a place’s highlights while learning a little about its history and culture. Plus, you get access to a local who can answer any and all of your questions.
Like It Formosa offers free daily walking tours around Taipei. Their tours focus more on cultural history than their competitor, Tour Me Away, which also offers free walking tours geared towards the backpacker crowd (Tour Me Away also runs pub crawls).
The National Palace Museum has over 70,000 artifacts from Imperial China, most of which were brought to Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War (1929–1947). In addition to the permanent exhibits, there are also rotating exhibits throughout the year as well as a section for children. There are free daily tours in English too. If you can’t get on the tour, get the audio guide. While the descriptions on the artifacts are pretty detailed, the audio tour goes into even more depth and gives you deeper insight into what you are seeing and the time period it is from.
221, Sec 2, Zhi Shan Road, +886 2 2881 2021, npm.gov.tw. Open Sunday–Thursday 8:30am–6:30pm and Friday–Saturday 8:30am–9pm. Admission is 350 NT$ ($11.65 USD) (470 NT$ ($15.65 USD) with an audio guide).
The Beitou Hot Springs area is a popular destination since it’s on the MRT (metro system) and only 30 minutes from downtown. There are lots of resorts, spas, and inns in the area where you can enjoy a dip in a hot spring. Be sure to also visit the Hot Springs Museum (housed in an old bathhouse from 1913), the Xinbeitou Historic Station (a heritage train station from 1916), and Thermal Valley (a sulfurous lake nearby that has walking trails).
Admission to most hot springs starts around 40 NT$ ($1.33 USD) per person, making it a very affordable getaway for anyone looking for some R&R.
Hot Springs Museum: No. 2, Zhongshan Road, +886 2 2893 9981, hotspringmuseum.taipei. Open daily from 9am-5pm. Admission is free.
Xinbeitou Historic Station: 1 Qixing St., +886 2 2891 5558, xbths.taipei. Open Tuesday-Thursday from 10am-6pm and Friday-Sunday from 10am-8:30pm (closed Mondays). Admission is free.
Taiwan is a foodie’s dream! You got noodle soups, incredible rice dishes, amazing buns, dumplings, scallion pancakes, and so much more. The food in the country is world-class. While cooking classes here are a little pricey, they do take you through the local markets and teach you about local ingredients and how to make some traditional dishes. I always found Taiwanese food intimidating so it was nice to have someone help me understand the local food. It made me more adventurous in the night markets.
Some cooking classes worth checking out are:
Expect to pay around 2,000 NT$ ($67 USD) for a class.
Taipei has a lot of museums. Given its size, I was surprised by how many actually they had, especially since the city isn’t known as being a center for museums. Here are some of my favorites:
Taipei has plenty of hiking trails just outside town that are easily accessible. There are easy, moderate, and challenging trails, as well as both short and full-day hikes. Here are a few worth checking out:
Jiufen is one of Taiwan’s most popular tourist destinations. First, because it’s incorrectly believed to be the origin of the film Spirited Away, so people come for that. Second, it’s famous for being a historic gold-mining town with it’s preserved old streets. And, third, it’s famous for its traditional teahouses.
Jiufen is tiny. You can walk around in about 30 minutes. The center of the city and its historic streets and buildings are all preserved as they looked 100 years ago so walking around here is a cool experience. Be sure to come early (like first thing in the morning) to beat the crowds because, by midday, the streets are wall-to-wall people. If you stay the night, you’ll also get the city to yourself once the crowds leave around 4pm.
As a tea lover, this is one of my favorite places in Taiwan because it’s home to some beautiful teahouses in the most stunning settings. It also overlooks a bay in the distance, and there are lots of lookouts.
Some teahouses not to miss are:
Additionally, there are a few museums highlighting the town’s gold mining past, lots of parks and lookouts, and some nearby hiking trails. (If you want to hike, spend the night as you’ll need the extra time.) Like It Formosa does a free walking tour here too (for this one, you need to sign up in advance because they only do it when people register).
The trip will take around 1-1.5 hours by train and bus. Take the train from Songshan Station (in Taipei) to Ruifang Station. From there you can take a bus straight to Jiufen. Expect to spend around 100 NT$ ($3.33 USD) for your round-trip ticket. There are also tourist buses with organized day trips; these usually cost around 475 NT$ ($16 USD).
Taipei brilliantly mixes the old and the new. Almost 90% of Taiwan identifies as either Buddhist or Taoist, and that is reflected in Taipei’s temples. Here are some of the most popular and ornate temples:
For the best views in Taipei, visit Taipei 101. Opened in 2004, this was the tallest building in the world until 2010 (when the Burj Khalifa took its place). Standing 508m (1,667 feet) tall, it towers over Taipei.
Even though I hate heights, you can’t visit Taipei without seeing it from the top of this building. There is an observation platform on the 89th floor that is absolutely breathtaking. You can also go up to the 91st floor and step outside if you want to really get your blood pumping (don’t worry, there are bars so you can’t fall).
Additionally, go to Morton’s Steakhouse for happy hour. Not only do they have super cheap drink specials but their patio provides some extraordinary views of Taipei 101 itself.
No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Road, taipei-101.com.tw/en/observatory. Open daily 11am–9pm. Admission is 600 NT$ ($20 USD).
Officially known as Liberty Square, this national monument was built in 1976 in honor of Chiang Kai-shek, former president of the Republic of China. He ruled mainland China from 1928 to 1949, and then in Taiwan from 1949 until his death in 1975.
In addition to his monument, which is over 75m (250 feet) tall, there is also a massive open square where rallies and protests have been held over the years (hence its renaming as Liberty Square). The memorial also houses a library and a museum that documents Chiang Kai-shek’s life and career. It also has exhibits on Taiwan’s history and how the country evolved throughout the years.
No. 21, Zhongshan South Road, Zhongzheng District, +886-2-2343-1100, cksmh.gov.tw. Open daily from 9am-6pm. Admission is free.
Take a ride on the Maokong Gondola, which was built in 2007, and get some great views of the city and surrounding forests. The route stretches over 4km (2.5 miles) and includes several stations between the Taipei Zoo and Maokong.
Spend some time exploring Maokong as it was once the prime tea-growing area of Taiwan. There are lots of winding footpaths you can wander, teahouses and cafes (the area still produces a lot of tea), and stunning views of Taipei (especially at night when the city is all lit up). It’s a popular spot on the weekend so visit during the week to avoid the crowds.
Stations at Taipei Zoo (2), Zhinan Temple, and Maokong. Open Monday–Friday 9am–9pm (10pm on Fridays), Saturdays 8:30am–10pm, and Sundays 8:30am–9pm. Tickets start at 70 NT$ ($2.33 USD).
Taipei is home to dozens of night markets — and most of them have tons of delicious food stalls. Here are a few worth checking out:
Sun Yat-sen was a politician, physician, and philosopher, as well as the first president of Taiwan. This memorial was built in 1972 to honor Doctor Sun Yat-sen. He’s considered “the Father of the Nation,” and the memorial hall is home to items from his personal and professional life. He’s one of the few figures beloved in both mainland China and Taiwan, as he was instrumental in the overthrow of China’s last imperial dynasty.
In addition to the hall’s museumesque displays of Sun’s possessions, it also serves as a meeting place, educational center, and cultural center.
No. 505, Section 4, Ren’ai Road, (02) 27588008 #546, yatsen.gov.tw. Open daily 9am–6pm. Admission is free.
***
From the food to museums to natural beauty, Taipei is a world-class city that I don’t think people appreciate enough. It needs to be on people’s radar more. I loved my time living there and coming back to visit just reminded me how marvelous (and affordable) the city is!
Make visiting Taipei a priority. With so much to see and do, you’re guaranteed to have an outstanding visit.
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. My favorite places to stay in Taipei are:
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!
Looking for more information on visiting Taiwan?
For more tips about visiting Taiwan, check out my introduction to Taiwan for more tips on what to see, do, costs, ways to save, and much, much more!
Photo credit: 1 – Heikki Holstila, 2, 3 – Caitriana Nicholson, 4 – familyfriends754, 6 – Guillaume Paumier, 14 – Ilee_wu
The post The 13 Best Things to See and Do in Taipei appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.
Hey friends! Hope you all enjoy this last weekend heading into June! Wow the year is flying by, isn’t it? I’m hoping we get to enjoy summer activities and get outside even more this year. It’s so important to get outside and clear our heads especially during this time we are in. Enjoy these fun inspiring posts from my friends and I, there’s something for everyone!
The post Home Style Saturday 192 appeared first on Southern Hospitality.
We had the best time at Lake Martin with Mark’s sister and brother-in-law, Kim and David. They built this home in The Harbor at Lake Martin 13 years ago and it’s such a nice get away spot for them from their main home in Fayetteville, GA. This was my first time at the lake house and it was so fun to see it in person. I shared Kim’s beach house in Destin with you over a year ago and today I’m sharing the lake house. It was a relaxing couple of days there at the lake, lounging on the porch, eating good food, boating, and floating in the lake and just being together with family. All the things that make summer fun!
There are lots of Alabama people of course who have lake houses at Lake Martin, with a strong contingent of Georgia people as well we heard.
The post Kim’s Lake House: Lake Martin, AL appeared first on Southern Hospitality.
OY! IT IS HOT!
Here is how to make your own (safe) barn misting fan!
*As with any fan, Please make sure your horse cannot get any tail hair anywhere near the fan blades and make absolutely sure that your horse cannot gnaw on any electrical cables. Keep the fan away and out of reach from your horse!
ORIGINALLY POSTED 8/27/13
It is true… I have been a bit busy taking care of Mama Tess and also catching up on all the work I let slip while I was lost in the decision.
But, luckily for MT, Hubby had an idea on how to create a misting fan for her without us spending a huge amount on a Cool Zone fan like she had in her hospital stall.
So, we went to Lowe’s and bought a few ingredients…
A big industrial fan. (You have to use a high powered fan or else the water doesn’t spray around enough and it soaks the stall…)
A few misting nozzles, some couplers, a hose adapter and misting flexible hose all from the inexpensive mister section.
A garden hose.
That was it.
This was the home-use high powered fan we chose from Lowe’s.
Hubby made a misting ring out of the nozzles and bendable hose. He then affixed the ring onto the front cage of the fan with zip ties.
He attached the hose to the hose adapter.
We ran an extension cord and the hose.
And we turned it on…
*NOTE: If you are on well water, we have learned that metal guitar strings will clean out the nozzles nicely.
The misting ring Hubby created and attached to the front of the fan.
In this view, you can see the hose adapter.
Power and water…(She was cool enough to take a long nap.)
It was a beautiful thing! The water shot out in a fine mist and the fan blew it into the air at the perfect ratio of air vs water. Her stall wasn’t soaked and she sat right in its wake.
She was happy. I was happy…
I was able to go to work and not worry about her in this heat.
Peace of mind.
Hubby was my hero once again…
You cannot see the mist, but Tess laid down right in front of the cool airflow.
The Queen was happy, cool and relaxed! Hubby to the rescue once again! (The camera did catch some misting drops in the upper right corner of this pic.)
The post HUBBY MAKES A MISTING FAN FOR HIS GIRL… appeared first on Horse and Man.
HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!
Your purchase with R.W. through this link helps the Bucket Fund!
When you shop @AmazonSmile, Amazon will make a donation to Horse And Man Inc.
Supporting The Bucket Fund through Amazon Smile is HUGE for the horses. Please choose HORSE AND MAN when you make your Amazon purchase through this link. THANK YOU!
Posted: 5/28/2020 | May 28th, 2020
There’s a big industry on the web that will show you how you can turn your passion into something that pays your bills. I’m sure you’ve seen the Facebook ads:
“Follow your passion! Make money doing what you love!”
In just a few easy steps, you’ll be able to solve all your life’s problems, find your dream job, and make bazillions!
But you don’t find your passion the way you find change underneath your couch pillow.
No. Instead, you stumble around blindly in the dark, stubbing your toe on a bunch of different things, until you find the light switch you’re looking for. One day, you wake up, turn the right light on, and realize that this is what makes you happy — and you can’t imagine doing anything else.
You find the work you are passionate about through trial and error.
I started this website on a whim. I was 27 years old and I just needed a way to fund my travels. Being a travel writer seemed like a way to do that. This website was to be my online résumé where (maybe) editors would hire me for assignments. There were no grand plans to turn my love of travel into a career. No thoughts of the future. I just wanted to do something that would keep me on the road one day longer.
During those first years, to keep the money coming in, I also taught English in Asia, tried to run online marketing websites, and even played semi-professional poker.
Yet, as time passed, I found myself devoting more and more time to this website. I loved learning how to make it better, finding new ways to help people travel, writing content, figuring out social media and SEO algorithms, and meeting people through it. Many of the bloggers I met in those first days are now some of my closest friends.
I still wake up every day loving what I do and the people I meet.
I was asked recently what happens when you turn your passion into a profession? How does that change your relationship with the thing you love so much?
Well, it changes the relationship a lot.
As the years have passed, travel went from something I wanted to do to something I had to do. The content beast had to be fed. I always had to go out and do stuff to make sure the articles were as updated and accurate as possible. I was no longer just casually blogging about my experience but creating detailed guides.
Time moved quickly until, one day, suddenly, there were also five employees to worry about, health care plans to consider, accountants and taxes to pay, meetings and conventions to attend, ad revenue to secure, conference calls to make, and contracts to read.
There was to be very little traveling on a whim and going with the flow anymore.
This had become a business.
Sometimes it fucking sucks.
Sometimes I wake up and just don’t give a shit.
Sometimes I don’t want to go on a trip just because we need content. Sometimes I’m tired of taking pictures of menus, going to grocery stores to look at prices, and collecting brochures for our guides. Sometimes I don’t want to write another goddamn article or could care less about a brand deal coming through.
Sometimes I want to burn the whole thing down.
On those days, I think fondly about simpler times, when every day was Saturday and my biggest worry was tomorrow’s hangover. When I just enjoyed travel without the pressure of bills and salaries and traffic.
But no job is perfect. There are going to be times when the stress makes you want to scream.
If you’re going to do anything for the long term, you have to be willing to deal with those kinds of days.
Because, when you love what you do, you are willing to eat that shit sandwich. Gleefully.
I’ve been open about how, over the last few years, balancing it all has led to a lot of anxiety and stress, which is part of the reason I’ve slowed down and stopped traveling so much.
And it’s why I believe that when your passion becomes your profession, it is important to take some time for yourself.
You need to release the pressure and stress and enjoy your passion just because you like it and it makes you happy.
That’s why I take some trips I don’t write about.
It’s why I try to get offline and use social media less frequently these days.
It’s why I don’t do big projects (e.g., changing our email funnel) when I’m on the road as much anymore.
Life is a battery that needs to be recharged — and doing something for no other reason than that it makes you happy recharges that battery.
I think this is something a lot of people who “turn their passion into a profession” lose sight of in the beginning. They throw themselves right into the work because their passion is the driving force, without realizing or acknowledging the pressures and stress doing something for money creates.
The days and weeks pile up and they go so far into the weeds that they lose some of that spark that drove them in the beginning. They burn out, become depressed, and lose balance. They see the endless work in front of them and go, “When did it become like this?”
I always tell my students that the work never ends. You’ll never be done. There always will be something more to do no matter how many “passive revenue” streams you set up.
You need balance.
Balance is the key to “turning your passion into a profession” without burning out. Most people I know who end up doing something long enough learn this lesson after too many hours of stress and anxiety (though some never do).
It took me my first eight years to learn that lesson.
There’s nothing I’d rather do in the world than work in travel. I still love waking up and working and helping others change how they see the world.
But I’m also a lot better at creating balance in my life than I was in the past, which is why I don’t get burnt out as much (or think about burning it all down as often anymore).
To sustain your passion as a profession, you have to find balance so you can feed the fire inside you that made you leap into this in the first place.
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines, because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com, as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all those I use — and they’ll save you time and money too!
The post What Happens When You Turn Your Hobby Into a Job? appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.
I don’t have a lot of exciting new things fashion for you today, but I did wear that cute green and white gingham shirt that I got from J Crew Factory. They are apparently going out of business, but still are selling some things online, so I’m glad I got these before they were all gone. As I mentioned, we went to Lake Martin over the weekend and it was a casual no-makeup zone. I loved it!
I love the gingham shirt and it will look great with a jacket and of course, white jeans. Everything looks good with white jeans.
The post Fashion over 50: Summer Basics appeared first on Southern Hospitality.
